For the first time ever, a global-level legal obligation on states to act on the interlinked crises facing our climate and ocean has been identified. WWF is deeply involved in efforts to tackle these crises so warmly welcomes the Advisory Opinion from a tribunal operating under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a global legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea says that states must take measures to prevent, reduce and control greenhouse gas emissions to avoid harm to the marine environment, and to conserve and restore marine ecosystems to make them more resilient to climate change and protect natural carbon stocks. WWF Oceans Practice Lead Pepe Clarke said: “For decades the environmental, economic and societal imperative to address the climate and nature crises has been clear, but now this Advisory Opinion further establishes that states also have a legal obligation to act.”
Photo: © Eric Madeja / WWF-Malaysia
With Europe’s nature in rapid decline – 80% of habitats are already in a poor condition – we welcome the first continent-wide law to restore nature that will also contribute to much-needed action on the climate crisis. EU member states finally endorsed the Nature Restoration Law after years of WWF-backed campaigning, which included over a million signatures and messages from citizens together with calls from 6,000+ scientists, 100+ businesses and hundreds of civil society organizations from across many sectors. Sabien Leemans, Senior Biodiversity Policy Officer at WWF-EU, says: “This law is a first-of-its-kind opportunity to bring nature back to Europe. But our work doesn’t stop here as for a truly successful implementation, we need all hands on deck. We will need to work with Member States and other stakeholders to ensure that the law is implemented on the ground and nature can truly rebounce, for the benefit of our climate, biodiversity and people.” This is timely news ahead of the COP16 UN Biodiversity Conference later this year, where we will urge for action on the global plan to put nature on the path to recovery by 2030.
Photo: © Louis Lambrechts
In 2022, states unanimously agreed to develop a legally binding UN treaty to end plastic pollution. Negotiations have followed, although a handful of nations with vested interests in petrochemicals have delayed progress toward a treaty. Meanwhile, millions of tonnes of plastic pollution continue to pour into the ocean, causing widespread harm to people and wildlife alike. The good news is that there is overwhelming public support for action on plastics, according to a new IPSOS survey across 32 countries commissioned by WWF and the Plastic Free Foundation. For example, 85% on average of those surveyed are calling for a ban on single-use plastics most likely to become plastic pollution. WWF continues to press for the deadlock between nations to be broken and for agreement on a strong global treaty that tackles this environmental crisis to be agreed at the final negotiation meeting in the Republic of Korea in November this year.
Photo: © Nick Garbutt / naturepl.com / WWF
Removing barriers from rivers is vitally important for people and nature – both restoring the natural migration patterns of fish and other wildlife, and significantly reducing the risk of floods and droughts. So it’s great to see another big boost to the WWF-backed river restoration movement in Europe, with the first ever dam removals in Croatia. Seven barriers have already been demolished on the Bijela river in the Plitvice Lakes National Park, with one final barrier to be removed soon. Allowing water, sediments and nutrients to flow naturally once again will help create a healthier river environment in the lake and river system of this natural World Heritage Site, as well as enable Danube salmon to migrate to their ancient spawning grounds for the first time in over 100 years. The work was carried out by the national park, with support from WWF-Adria and funding from the European Open Rivers Programme. Nearly 500 barriers were removed in 15 European countries in 2023, leading to the reconnection of over 4,300 km of rivers.
Photo: © Merijn Hougee / WWF-Netherlands
A new WWF-backed study in Gabon and the Republic of Congo highlights how sustainably-managed logging operations help local wildlife. The research compared logging operations certified by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which requires sustainable forest management, to those without FSC certification – and found that FSC-certified forests have a higher abundance of larger mammals, including critically endangered species such as gorillas and elephants. The research, conducted over five years, also highlights the role of illegal hunting in biodiversity loss, and how proactive measures, such as blocking old logging roads, establishing checkpoints and supporting alternative protein sources for local people, can have positive impacts. WWF Forest Practice Lead Fran Price says: “These results are a strong indication that FSC continues to be an effective tool in tropical forests. Solutions that benefit both people and nature do exist, and responsible forest management certification is one of those vital solutions.” The project is the first to compare so many different forest areas at the same time, using 474 camera traps across 14 logging operations.
Photo: © IMAGEO-ATIBT 2022
As space for nature continues to shrink, human-wildlife conflict is a growing threat to both wild species and the communities that live alongside them. On the Thailand-Myanmar border, where farming communities in Kuiburi National Park frequently suffer damage to their crops caused by wild elephants, WWF-Thailand is supporting efforts by the Kuiburi Wildlife Ecotourism Club to defuse conflict. Many approaches are being taken – from encouraging elephant tourism that gives communities an income, to encouraging the growth of crops that won’t attract elephants. The community has also recently formed a group to provide financial aid to those affected by human-wildlife conflict. However, there are no simple answers as Naret Sueaturien, Manager of the WWF-Thailand Kuiburi Wildlife Conservation Project, says: “Working with people is challenging because there are diverse groups of individuals, each with their own different opinions. My personal challenge is figuring out how to bring these diverse groups together.”
Photo: © Thomas Cristofoletti/WWF-US
In our warming world, forest fires are a growing menace to people and nature alike. That’s why a WWF-Bolivia initiative, with the support of WWF-Belgium, is helping volunteer firefighters from Indigenous communities be ready for action when fire strikes in the country’s Chiquitanía region. Forest fires occur every year in the region so the support for the Association of Indigenous Volunteer Firefighters of Chiquitanía "Los Jaguares" is an important contribution to safeguarding local people and nature. In addition to providing equipment for 30 fire fighters, a drone has also been supplied to help both improve the efficiency and safety of their fire-fighting work. While fire can be an effective method of agricultural management, its inappropriate use – whether for illegal deforestation or where preventative action isn’t taken to stop fire from spreading – combined with ongoing droughts can lead to fires quickly getting out of control.
Photo: © FGutierrez/WWF-Bolivia
A healthy natural world is vital for people’s well-being and survival. So it’s good to hear that conservation action is effective at reducing global biodiversity loss, according to new research. The first-of-its-kind study, published in the journal Science, brought together scientists from dozens of research institutes to review conservation action around the world going back over a century, finding that in two-thirds of examined cases, conservation had a positive effect on biodiversity – from deforestation rates falling 74% in the Congo Basin, following the introduction of management plans, to a doubling of least tern breeding rates due to predator management in Florida's barrier islands. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that other human activities, from rampant land clearance to the unsustainable harvesting of species, continue to cause catastrophic impacts on nature.
Photo: © WWF-Pacific / Tom Vierus
